Did your list of New Year’s resolutions include a pledge to eat healthier and swear off red meat, at least occasionally? If you’re determined to eat fish and go vegetarian more often, you’ll need the right wine to accompany your new lifestyle, and this refreshing Garganega from northern Italy is the perfect choice.
Tasting Note: Precise, pretty, and perfumed on the nose with aromas of wild flowers, grapefruit and cedar. This delicacy broadens on the palate (thanks to the addition of 20% Chardonnay) to riper tropical fruit, honeyed herbaciousness and light, slightly nutty, minerality. Supple and elegant, with the complexity that suggests the potential for short-term aging.
Enjoy With: A range of lighter foods and hors d’oeuvres: sushi, saffron risotto, grilled seafood or good old fish and chips.
Style: Dry, white wine.
Terroir / Region: The Soave DOC is part of northeastern Italy’s Veneto region. Bordering Valpolicella, nestled in the hills north of Verona, Soave has always been important from a volume standpoint, but bottlings from ambitious producers like Allegrini demand to be taken seriously for their quality as well. Chalky, volcanic soils and 25-year-old vines give whites of steely character, finesse and real interest.
Producer: Based in Fumane, one of the classic Valpolicella towns, the Allegrini family’s roots go all the way back to the 1500s (and they’ve got the documents to prove it). No shortage of tradition obviously, but they’re not afraid of innovation either. Giovanni Allegrini, the patriarch of the current generation, never hesitated to question local practices and always insisted on making wines strictly from his own estate-grown fruit. He was relentless in making improvements in the vineyard and the winery and his children now carry on his legacy in producing wines that showcase the potential of Valpolicella and Soave.
Availability: 180 cases will be officially released Saturday, February 6 in Vintages. But check the LCBO website, since some stores’ shelves are already stocked. Look for it in the Italy section.
12.7% Alcohol/Vol. | 750 mL | #30189
Remember your reusable shopping bag & please enjoy responsibly.
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